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Thomas Paine
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(1737-1809)

Essential Questions

  1. Why is Thomas Paine important to American history?
  2. What was Thomas Paine's role in the American Revolution?
  3. What influence does Thomas Paine have on us today?


Accomplishments

  1. January 10, 1776, he published a short pamphlet, Common Sense, which immediately established his reputation as a revolutionary propagandist.
  2. In August 1792, Paine was made a French citizen and a month later was elected to the National Convention.
  3. During his imprisonment, Paine embarked on his third influential work, The Age of Reason (London and Boston, 1794-95).
  4. In 1774, Paine met Benjiman Franklin in London. Franklin helped him emigrate to America from England.
  5. From December 28, 1793, until November 4, 1794, he was imprisoned in Luxembourg prison until the intercession of the new American minister, James Monroe, secured his release.
  6. Paine's political influence was greatest in England. In intellectual terms, his Rights of Man was his greatest political work and was certainly the best-selling radical political tract in late 18th century England.
  7. Wrote a series of pamphlets entitled The Crisis during the American Revolution. These articles showed Paine's belief of America being independent and self-governed. The most famous of these being Common Sense.
  8. Paine claimed that 150,000 copies of Common Sense were sold.
  9. Paine was known most for his “plain style.”
  10. Paine married his daughter and took over Ollive’s tobacco shop; but soon thereafter he again lost his position as collector, the tobacco shop failed, and in 1774 he separated from his wife.

Works Cited
Harris, Sharon M. Houghton Mifflin college division. 2007. 23 Oct. 2007 <http://college.hmco.com/
english/lauter/heath/4e/students/author_pages/eighteenth/paine_th.html>.
Kelly, Melissa. "Thomas Paine - Writer/Propagandist." About.com. 2007. 23 Oct. 2007
<http://712educators.about.com/cs/biographies/p/paine.htm>.
Klemetti, Erik, et al. "Thomas Paine." US History. 2007. 23 Oct. 2007 <http://www.ushistory.org/
paine/>.
Kreis, Steven. The History Guide. 11 Oct. 2006. 23 Oct. 2007 <http://www.historyguide.org/
intellect/paine.html>.
Reuben, Paul P. "Chapter 2: Thomas Paine." Perspectives in American Literature. 24 Mar. 2007. 22
Oct. 2007 <http://web.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap2/paine.html>.
Saffier, Fannie. "Thomas Paine." Adventures in American Literature. Austin: Holt, Rinehar and
Winston, 1996. 94.